Cry of the Midnight Jackdaw

Chapter Twenty-two,
Gift

“Your Highness, the duke returned to the residence in the morning. Your Highness was not here at that time, so this servant asked Li gong’gong, and Li gong’gong allowed him to go back first.” Ling Xiang held up tea, and spoke to He Xuan. He Xuan nodded his head, “Bring me clothes, I will be going out.”

He Xuan already had dinner at the palace, and it so happened that Xu Yu Hang invited him to go to the Xin Lanpleasing orchid Alley to drink. He took the outer robe that Ling Xiang prepared, then hurriedly draped it on and went out.

The Xin Lan Alley was in an alley at the corner behind the imperial college in the inner main street, once it went to nighttime, it was the most bustling and flourishing place.

Now that it was winter, the skies darkened quickly, so it was already lit with lanterns all around. The bright and dim candles swayed to and fro prettily, while gorgeous and beautiful colours congested the entire alleyway. The sounds of laughter and urges to drink were unceasing, then, with soft musical sounds, dancing accompanying the instruments, the corners of the hall burning with pastille, winding with white fog, the entirety of it all was like a scene of a deity’s palace or a paradise.

Once He Xuan came down from the carriage at the alleyway entrance, a few small servants naturally recognized him, and led him into a compartment inside.

The main reception outside was all used to receive typical guests, performing some normal dances, things to help bring the mood, and those serving were also those small girls who just came, while those who had tablets hung did not reveal their faces in the reception. He Xuan familiarly went up to the second floor of the inner area, and even heard an ensemble of zithers and lutes from the door.

Xu Yu Hang was dressed in a blue robe, with two ladies sitting to the left and right pouring wine, wearing hanging horse hairstyles[1]. The one on the left had gold flower petals stuck on the forehead, and hung down her eyes while holding a nut and sending it into Xu Yu Hang’s mouth. Xu Yu Hang used his mouth to grab it and swallow it down, then the one on the right seemed to be currying favour, and picked up the cup of wine and placed it to the side of his mouth. Xu Yu Hang let out a great big laughter and drank all the wine, then lifted his head up to look at He Xuan who came in through the door.

“Why so excited today?” He Xuan sat by his side, and soon, a green-clothed lady came in- she wore a gold pearl bracelet on her hand that would ring and tinkle when walking, bearing an unique kind of amour.

“Your Highness had not come for such a long time.”The green-clothed lady curved her shallow autumn water-like eyes, and crooked her pinky and poured He Xuan a cup of wine, then pointed to the lady to Xu Yu Hang’s left and laughed, “Hua Nongflower concentrate has been missing you very much.”

They were all people who crawled and rolled in the place of debauchery, once that Hua Nong heard, she flirtatiously gave her a hit, then said merrily, “Sister Ou Chulotus root firstshouldn’t pin it on this one, the one doesn’t even have the time to yearn for Lord Xu every day, clearly, it is Sister Ou Chu who misses [him] very much, and yet you just had to say it was this one.”

Ou Chu also laughed. Seeing He Xuan take the wine, she said, “The new musician Han Gong Yue plays great, shall this one have them play?”

He Xuan casually agreed to it, then turned to ask Xu Yu Hang, “Hasn’t the old man arranged a marriage for you? When are you getting married?”

“Aye, why must you mention that when I have this beauty in my embrace?” Xu Yu Hang swayed his hand, “After marrying, I can no longer come here, aren’t I having fun while I can?”

He Xuan drank a mouthful of wine, “What? Worried that that one at home would manage you?”

“The one being married off is Minister Li’s daughter. You also know, those from the Pine Wind Faction are concerned about reputation the most, if I were to come out here to play around again, I will definitely get beaten to death by the old man. Now that you mention it, you are not that much younger than me either, is there anything coming for marriage?” Xu Yu Hang spoke halfway through, then, like he thought of something, he stopped and sighed “Aye, my bad, my bad, I forgot about that master above for a moment……”

He Xuan seemed like he did not care and laughed, then changed the topic, “Yesterday Xiao Zuo came to my residence, I had him feed me wine, and yet he even got mad, saying I took him as a catamite……” He Xuan sneered, “Is he not a catamite, could it be that he even thought I was deeply in love with him, and loved him so much that I would seek death?”

Xu Yu Hang sneered, and narrowed his eyes and said to Hua Nong, “Come, feed me some wine.” Hua Nong nodded her head, then held in a mouth full of wine in her mouth, then got close to the side of Xu Yu Hang’s lips, “Do you feel that I am bullying you?”

“How could you say this, don’t tease this one. To be able to serve the duke is this one’s fortune.” Hua Nong weighed the jar of wine, “There is no more wine, this one will go out and get another.”

“Aye, they are of a noble status after all, being a bit unreasonable is a must.” Xu Yu Hang swayed the remaining half cup of wine, “I hear that you haven’t even gone to Sir Song’s lately? Then again, when your Highness the Crown Prince yearns inside, the entire capital probably cannot find a person more gentle and faithful as you.”

He Xuan raised his eyebrows, “What? Am I more fiendish looking normally?”

“Hoh, with just that bad temper of yours, Ou Chu you say something too……”

Ou Chu was peeling fruit peel, she patted the crumbs from her hands, then smiled, “Please don’t take this one for entertainment, you two, this one does not dare say.”

“But one cannot be certain, it might be that he likes it a lot inside, but is playing hard to get[2] on the surface.”

He Xuan froze, his thoughts wrapped around that pair of reddened eyes of Xiao Zuo’s, and his heart suddenly rose with a sliver of impatience. He irritatedly pushed away Ou Chu beside him bending over to pour wine, and hummed a bit in neither agreement nor denial.

This night, Xu Yu Hang drank many jars of wine. When he went out the doors, he was not steadily walking, and tottered and leaned on He Xuan’s body. He Xuan was disgusted with his air of alcohol, and had a few servant boys lift him up the carriage, and instructed the driver to go more steadily, then returned to the residence.